The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Alt. Alt joined the Aviation Cadet Corps in June of 1942 at the age of 17. By January of 1943, once he turned 18, he was called up for training. In mid-1943 he traveled to Pearl Harbor, and completed Fire Fighting School with the Navy while on the island. In mid-1944 Alt was assigned to the USS Sea Cat (SS-399). He worked as Military Police on night shifts and guard duty in the brig. They traveled to Saipan and the South China Sea where the Sea Cat operated in a wolf pack. He landed on Saipan 7 July 7, as the battle was coming to an end. He served with a firefighting crew on the beach for pilots making emergency or crash landings. Alt remained on Saipan through early 1945. He was stationed on Tinian in July, and recalls when the Enola Gay landed. He returned to the US and was discharged in March of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Thomas Alt. Alt joined the Aviation Cadet Corps in June of 1942 at the age of 17. By January of 1943, once he turned 18, he was called up for training. In mid-1943 he traveled to Pearl Harbor, and completed Fire Fighting School with the Navy while on the island. In mid-1944 Alt was assigned to the USS Sea Cat (SS-399). He worked as Military Police on night shifts and guard duty in the brig. They traveled to Saipan and the South China Sea where the Sea Cat operated in a wolf pack. He landed on Saipan 7 July 7, as the battle was coming to an end. He served with a firefighting crew on the beach for pilots making emergency or crash landings. Alt remained on Saipan through early 1945. He was stationed on Tinian in July, and recalls when the Enola Gay landed. He returned to the US and was discharged in March of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alfred P Birdwell. Birdwell joined the Army around 1943. He served as a tank driver with the 3rd Armored Division. He deployed to La Havre, France. Birdwell participated in the Battle of the Bulge, traveling through Germany along the Siegfried Line into Berlin. He returned to the US and received his discharge in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Alfred P Birdwell. Birdwell joined the Army around 1943. He served as a tank driver with the 3rd Armored Division. He deployed to La Havre, France. Birdwell participated in the Battle of the Bulge, traveling through Germany along the Siegfried Line into Berlin. He returned to the US and received his discharge in late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Robert Bridge. Bridge was inducted into the Army on 10 November 1943. During basic training he volunteered for paratrooper duty, but failed the physical and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne as a glider infantryman. He crossed the Atlantic on a troop carrier and arrived at a camp outside Leicester, England on 24 May 1944. His glider was a Waco CG 4A model. He describes his participation in Operation Market Garden during September 1944. Bridge participated in a glider landing near the city of Grave, Netherlands and secured a bridge over the Waal River. The 82nd Airborne Division retreated to a French army camp in Sissonne following the action in Holland. He describes being involved in the Battle of the Bulge but does not provide details. He recalls his unit made it to Cologne, Germany where they held the west bank of the Rhine River for more than a month. Bridge remembers entering Hamburg, Germany and fighting up the Elbe River where they met up with the Russians. He spent three months on occupation duty in Germany following the war and returned on the RMS Queen Mary arriving …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Walter Buczek. Buczek joined the Army in 1943 and was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. He completed Automotive Transport School, repairing trucks. During his schooling he was assigned as a mechanical instructor. In June of 1945 he traveled to Hawaii, then landed on Ie Shima, Okinawa in July. Buczek served with the 1631st Engineer Construction Battalion. He worked with heavy equipment on road construction and building airfields through the spring of 1946. He returned to the US and was discharged in March of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Walter Buczek. Buczek joined the Army in 1943 and was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. He completed Automotive Transport School, repairing trucks. During his schooling he was assigned as a mechanical instructor. In June of 1945 he traveled to Hawaii, then landed on Ie Shima, Okinawa in July. Buczek served with the 1631st Engineer Construction Battalion. He worked with heavy equipment on road construction and building airfields through the spring of 1946. He returned to the US and was discharged in March of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Fred Chupp. Chupp joined the Army in November of 1942. He served with the 197th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, A Battery. He provides details of his military training, including amphibious training in Virginia. In January of 1944, Chupp traveled to Camp Upton Lovell in Codford, England, where they prepared for the invasion of Normandy. They landed on Omaha Beach the afternoon of 6 June 1944. They also participated in Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge. His outfit guarded ammunition and fuel dumps, as well as ammunition and fuel convoys. Chupp was discharged in December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Fred Chupp. Chupp joined the Army in November of 1942. He served with the 197th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, A Battery. He provides details of his military training, including amphibious training in Virginia. In January of 1944, Chupp traveled to Camp Upton Lovell in Codford, England, where they prepared for the invasion of Normandy. They landed on Omaha Beach the afternoon of 6 June 1944. They also participated in Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge. His outfit guarded ammunition and fuel dumps, as well as ammunition and fuel convoys. Chupp was discharged in December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Gibbons. Gibbons completed infantry training in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M his freshman and sophomore years of college. In January of 1943 he gave up his exemption for college and volunteered for the Army. He completed the Army Special Training Program, and volunteered for the paratroopers. Gibbons completed jump school at Fort Benning, Georgia. He also completed Demolition School. He traveled with replacement paratroopers to England in April of 1944, and joined the 82nd Airborne Division. He participated in the Normandy landings in June, Operation Market Garden in August and the Battle of the Bulge in December. He shares details of his combat experiences. After the war ended, he remained in Germany on guard duty, and completed college courses in England and France. He returned home and was discharged in December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George Gibbons. Gibbons completed infantry training in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M his freshman and sophomore years of college. In January of 1943 he gave up his exemption for college and volunteered for the Army. He completed the Army Special Training Program, and volunteered for the paratroopers. Gibbons completed jump school at Fort Benning, Georgia. He also completed Demolition School. He traveled with replacement paratroopers to England in April of 1944, and joined the 82nd Airborne Division. He participated in the Normandy landings in June, Operation Market Garden in August and the Battle of the Bulge in December. He shares details of his combat experiences. After the war ended, he remained in Germany on guard duty, and completed college courses in England and France. He returned home and was discharged in December of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Lowell Hoehne. Hoehne joined the Army in February, 1943 and trained in auto mechanics. He was assigned to the 926th Engineer Aviation Regiment and shipped to England in August 1943. He went to Normandy with on a tractor and worked with a map reproduction section. Hoehne recalls several anecdotes about his service in France: guard duty, Paris, food, teaching a Frenchman to drive, etc.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ralph Kreamer. Kreamer joined the Marine Corps and trained at San Diego. He went overseas in October, 1943 to Noumea before going to New Zealand. He then was in the assault on Tarawa. He recalls going to Camp Tarawa, then on to Saipan. Ralph’s wife, Ivy Kreamer, also contributes her recollections. She recalls various conditions at her home in England during the war and some of the rocket attacks.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harris Lease. Lease joined the United States Army Air Forces around 1942. He traveled to New Zealand, Karachi, Burma, Ceylon, and Calcutta on the New Amsterdam Liberty Ship beginning May of 1943. He provides detail of the ship and his experiences aboard. He also discusses food and travel among these various countries. He met some pilots who flew over the Hump and provides their stories. He and his crew worked on building runways. He served a total of 3 years and 2 months and was potentially discharged around 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ralph Miller. Miller was born on 11 June 1916 in Pulaski, Indiana. After graduating from high school in 1933, he worked at the family store until he was inducted into the Army in May 1941. Assigned to the 35th Tank Battalion, Headquarters Company, 4th Armored Division, he participated in training and maneuvers in Tennessee, California and Texas. In 1944, the unit boarded the USS General J.C. Breckenridge (AP-176) and landed in England. He describes landing on Omaha Beach seven days after the initial invasion and being subjected to German mortar fire. He was at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge and recalls meeting the Russians in Czechoslovakia. He returned to the United States in September 1945 and was discharged soon thereafter.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ralph Miller. Miller was born on 11 June 1916 in Pulaski, Indiana. After graduating from high school in 1933, he worked at the family store until he was inducted into the Army in May 1941. Assigned to the 35th Tank Battalion, Headquarters Company, 4th Armored Division, he participated in training and maneuvers in Tennessee, California and Texas. In 1944, the unit boarded the USS General J.C. Breckenridge (AP-176) and landed in England. He describes landing on Omaha Beach seven days after the initial invasion and being subjected to German mortar fire. He was at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge and recalls meeting the Russians in Czechoslovakia. He returned to the United States in September 1945 and was discharged soon thereafter.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Laurence Norris. Norris joined the Marine Corps in November, 1943 and went to San Diego for basic training. He landed on Peleliu with the First Marine Division in the first wave and operated a flame thrower. He describes a lot of his experiences in combat on Peleliu. He discarded the flame thrower for a rifle. He also describes his experiences on Okinawa as a forward observer. He describes a lot of experiences on Okinawa, too. When the war ended, he went to China on occupation duty. He returned to the US in January, 1946 and was discharged in April. When he returned home, he ran for the office of sheriff and was elected.